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Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields
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Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2024) | Viewed by 23081

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jesus Munoz Rojas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ecology and Survival of Microorganisms Group, Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular Microbiana, Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Edificio IC11, Ciudad Universitaria, Puebla, Mexico
Interests: microbiology; biotechnology; plant biotechnology; plant physiology; molecular cloning; antimicrobials
Dr. Paulina Estrada-de los Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Prol. Plan de Ayala s/n, Col. Santo Tomás, Alcaldía Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City 11340, Mexico
Interests: bacterial taxonomy; biocontrol; bacterial antimicrobial production; plant growth promotion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today crop production is based on technologies related to green revolution, like application of nitrogen fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, among other strategies. However, all the world is suffering consequences of applications of those products, like problems in health, climatic change, environmental pollution. Therefore, the use of more eco-friendly strategies to maintain or increase the crop production is desirable. Microorganisms could be a good alternative, because several of them are able to interact with plants making a symbiosis or an excellent association giving beneficial characteristics to plants. Mechanisms that bacteria offer to plants involve nitrogen fixation, phosphorous solubilization, hormone production, ACC deaminase activity, inhibition of pathogenic strains, triggering of ISR response, control of pest, protection to plant stress, among others. Research about microorganisms with beneficial potential to plants has been performed in different levels, since the isolation of new microorganisms with potential as a plant growth promoting microorganisms (PGPB), until their use in fields and commercialization. Therefore, this special will try to join frontier research in all levels of the development of a microbial formulation that could be applied on crops with the end to substitute technologies affecting the environment and health of habitants of the earth planet.

This special include but is not limited to next scopes:

1) Isolation and characterization of new beneficial microorganisms to plants

2) Microbiomes of plants as future prospects to consider on the inoculation of the correct biome on plants.

3) Mechanisms of microorganisms involved in the plant growth promotion or other beneficial aspects to plants.

4) Experiments of inoculation in the level of greenhouse.

5) Microbial formulations and its action in fields.

6) Patents related to the application of microorganisms on plant crop production.

7) Commercialization of microbial formulations, experiences and reality respect to products related to green revolution.

Dr. Jesus Munoz Rojas
Dr. Paulina Estrada-de los Santos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant growth promoting microorganisms
  • microbial formulations
  • plant-Microbe Interactions
  • plant Biotechnology

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

19 pages, 5046 KiB  
Article
Selection and Characterization of Phosphate-Solubilizing Fungi and Their Effects on Coffee Plantations
by Rosa María Arias, Gabriela Heredia Abarca, Yamel del Carmen Perea Rojas, Yadeneyro de la Cruz Elizondo and Karla Yosselín García Guzman
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3395; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12193395 - 26 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1604
Abstract
The use of phosphate-solubilizing fungi in coffee cultivation is an alternative to the use of traditional fertilizers. The objective of this study was to analyze the mechanisms involved in the phosphorus solubilization of fungal strains and to evaluate the effect of a phosphate-solubilizing [...] Read more.
The use of phosphate-solubilizing fungi in coffee cultivation is an alternative to the use of traditional fertilizers. The objective of this study was to analyze the mechanisms involved in the phosphorus solubilization of fungal strains and to evaluate the effect of a phosphate-solubilizing strain on coffee plants. For this, phosphorus-solubilizing fungal strains were selected for evaluation of their solubilization potential and phosphatase activity. Coffee plants were inoculated in the field with a phosphate-solubilizing strain, and the soil and foliar soluble phosphorus contents, as well as coffee bean yield, were quantified. Of the 151 strains analyzed, Sagenomella diversispora, Penicillium waksmanii, and Penicillium brevicompactum showed the highest solubilization. Aspergillus niger and P. waksmanii presented the highest soluble phosphorus values; however, P. brevicompactum showed the highest phosphatase activity. The P. brevicompactum strain inoculated on the coffee plants did not favor the foliar phosphorus content but increased the soil soluble phosphorus content in two of the coffee plantations. The plants inoculated with the phosphate-solubilizing strain showed an increase in coffee bean weight on all plantations, although this increase was only significant in two of the three selected coffee plantations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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11 pages, 6657 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Paenibacillus sp. NMA1017 Application as a Biocontrol Agent for Phytophthora tropicalis and Moniliophthora roreri in Cacao-Growing Fields in Chiapas, Mexico
by Irene Gómez-de la Cruz, Belén Chávez-Ramírez, Carlos Hugo Avendaño-Arrazate, Yolanda Elizabeth Morales-García, Jesús Muñoz-Rojas and Paulina Estrada-de los Santos
Plants 2023, 12(12), 2336; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122336 - 15 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1037
Abstract
In Mexico, cacao production is endangered by pathogenic fungi, such as Phytophthora spp. and Moniliophthora rorei, that cause black pod rot and moniliasis, respectively. In this study the biocontrol agent Paenibacillus sp. NMA1017 was tested in cacao fields against the previous diseases. The [...] Read more.
In Mexico, cacao production is endangered by pathogenic fungi, such as Phytophthora spp. and Moniliophthora rorei, that cause black pod rot and moniliasis, respectively. In this study the biocontrol agent Paenibacillus sp. NMA1017 was tested in cacao fields against the previous diseases. The treatments applied were shade management, inoculation of the bacterial strain with or without an adherent, and use of chemical control. The statistical analysis showed that the incidence of black pod rot in tagged cacao trees diminished when the bacterium was applied (reduction of 44.24 to 19.11%). The same result was observed with moniliasis when the pods were tagged (reduction of 66.6 to 27%). The use of Paenibacillus sp. NMA1017 with an integrated management might be a solution to cacao diseases and to having a sustainable production of cacao in Mexico. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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20 pages, 8660 KiB  
Article
Broad-Spectrum Antifungal, Biosurfactants and Bioemulsifier Activity of Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii—A Potential Biocontrol and Bioremediation Agent in Agriculture
by Karina Guillén-Navarro, Tomás López-Gutiérrez, Verónica García-Fajardo, Sergio Gómez-Cornelio, Eugenia Zarza, Susana De la Rosa-García and Manuel Chan-Bacab
Plants 2023, 12(6), 1374; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061374 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2141
Abstract
In this study, the antifungal, biosurfactant and bioemulsifying activity of the lipopeptides produced by the marine bacterium Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii MC6B-22 is presented. The kinetics showed that at 84 h, the highest yield of lipopeptides (556 mg/mL) with antifungal, biosurfactant, bioemulsifying and [...] Read more.
In this study, the antifungal, biosurfactant and bioemulsifying activity of the lipopeptides produced by the marine bacterium Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii MC6B-22 is presented. The kinetics showed that at 84 h, the highest yield of lipopeptides (556 mg/mL) with antifungal, biosurfactant, bioemulsifying and hemolytic activity was detected, finding a relationship with the sporulation of the bacteria. Based on the hemolytic activity, bio-guided purification methods were used to obtain the lipopeptide. By TLC, HPLC and MALDI-TOF, the mycosubtilin was identified as the main lipopeptide, and it was further confirmed by NRPS gene clusters prediction based on the strain’s genome sequence, in addition to other genes related to antimicrobial activity. The lipopeptide showed a broad-spectrum activity against ten phytopathogens of tropical crops at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 400 to 25 μg/mL and with a fungicidal mode of action. In addition, it exhibited that biosurfactant and bioemulsifying activities remain stable over a wide range of salinity and pH and it can emulsify different hydrophobic substrates. These results demonstrate the potential of the MC6B-22 strain as a biocontrol agent for agriculture and its application in bioremediation and other biotechnological fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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16 pages, 2693 KiB  
Article
Mycobiota of Mexican Maize Landraces with Auxin-Producing Yeasts That Improve Plant Growth and Root Development
by Juan Ramos-Garza, José Luis Aguirre-Noyola, Rafael Bustamante-Brito, Lily X. Zelaya-Molina, Jessica Maldonado-Hernández, Aurea Itzel Morales-Estrada, Zoe Resendiz-Venado, Jacqueline Palacios-Olvera, Thania Angeles-Gallegos, Paola Terreros-Moysen, Manuel Cortés-Carvajal and Esperanza Martínez-Romero
Plants 2023, 12(6), 1328; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061328 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1949
Abstract
Compared to agrochemicals, bioinoculants based on plant microbiomes are a sustainable option for increasing crop yields and soil fertility. From the Mexican maize landrace “Raza cónico” (red and blue varieties), we identified yeasts and evaluated in vitro their ability to promote plant growth. [...] Read more.
Compared to agrochemicals, bioinoculants based on plant microbiomes are a sustainable option for increasing crop yields and soil fertility. From the Mexican maize landrace “Raza cónico” (red and blue varieties), we identified yeasts and evaluated in vitro their ability to promote plant growth. Auxin production was detected from yeast isolates and confirmed using Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Inoculation tests were performed on maize, and morphological parameters were measured. Eighty-seven yeast strains were obtained (50 from blue corn and 37 from red corn). These were associated with three families of Ascomycota (Dothideaceae, Debaryomycetaceae, and Metschnikowiaceae) and five families of Basidiomycota (Sporidiobolaceae, Filobasidiaceae, Piskurozymaceae, Tremellaceae, and Rhynchogastremataceae), and, in turn, distributed in 10 genera (Clavispora, Rhodotorula, Papiliotrema, Candida, Suhomyces, Soliccocozyma, Saitozyma Holtermaniella, Naganishia, and Aeurobasidium). We identified strains that solubilized phosphate and produced siderophores, proteases, pectinases, and cellulases but did not produce amylases. Solicoccozyma sp. RY31, C. lusitaniae Y11, R. glutinis Y23, and Naganishia sp. Y52 produced auxins from L-Trp (11.9–52 µg/mL) and root exudates (1.3–22.5 µg/mL). Furthermore, they stimulated the root development of A. thaliana. Inoculation of auxin-producing yeasts caused a 1.5-fold increase in maize plant height, fresh weight, and root length compared to uninoculated controls. Overall, maize landraces harbor plant growth-promoting yeasts and have the potential for use as agricultural biofertilizers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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17 pages, 4365 KiB  
Article
Multispecies Bacterial Bio-Input: Tracking and Plant-Growth-Promoting Effect on Lettuce var. sagess
by Santiago A. Vio, María Lina Galar, María Cecilia Gortari, Pedro Balatti, Mariana Garbi, Aníbal Roberto Lodeiro and María Flavia Luna
Plants 2023, 12(4), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040736 - 07 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1743
Abstract
The use of multispecies bacterial bio-inputs is a promising strategy for sustainable crop production over the use of single-species inoculants. Studies of the use of multispecies bio-inputs in horticultural crops are scarce, not only on the growth-promoting effects of each bacterium within the [...] Read more.
The use of multispecies bacterial bio-inputs is a promising strategy for sustainable crop production over the use of single-species inoculants. Studies of the use of multispecies bio-inputs in horticultural crops are scarce, not only on the growth-promoting effects of each bacterium within the formulation, but also on their compatibility and persistence in the root environment. In this work, we described that a multispecies bacterial bio-input made up of Azospirillum argentinense Az39, Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus PAL-5, Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5 and Bacillus sp. Dm-B10 improved lettuce plant growth more effectively than when these strains were inoculated as single-species bio-inputs. Bacteria persisted together (were compatible) and also colonized seedling roots of lettuce plants grown in controlled conditions. Interestingly, colonization was highly related to an early and enhanced growth of seedlings grown in the nursery. A similar effect on plant growth was found in lettuce plants in a commercial greenhouse production in the peri-urban area of La Plata City, Buenos Aires, Argentina. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating that a synthetic mixture of bacteria can colonize and persist on lettuce plants, and also showing their synergistic beneficial effect both in the nursery greenhouse as well as the commercial production farm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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Review

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11 pages, 592 KiB  
Review
Affecting Factors of Plant Phyllosphere Microbial Community and Their Responses to Climatic Warming—A Review
by Shaolin Huang, Xinjie Zha and Gang Fu
Plants 2023, 12(16), 2891; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12162891 - 08 Aug 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1807
Abstract
Phyllosphere microorganisms are not only an important part of plants, but also an important part of microorganisms. In this review, the function of phyllosphere microorganisms, the assembly mechanism of phyllosphere microorganisms, the driving factors of phyllosphere microbial community structure, and the effects of [...] Read more.
Phyllosphere microorganisms are not only an important part of plants, but also an important part of microorganisms. In this review, the function of phyllosphere microorganisms, the assembly mechanism of phyllosphere microorganisms, the driving factors of phyllosphere microbial community structure, and the effects of climate warming on phyllosphere microbial community structure were reviewed. Generally, phyllosphere microorganisms have a variety of functions (e.g., fixing nitrogen, promoting plant growth). Although selection and dispersal processes together regulate the assembly of phyllospheric microbial communities, which one of the ecological processes is dominant and how external disturbances alter the relative contributions of each ecological process remains controversial. Abiotic factors (e.g., climatic conditions, geographical location and physical and chemical properties of soil) and biological factors (e.g., phyllosphere morphological structure, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and plant species and varieties) can affect phyllosphere microbial community structure. However, the predominant factors affecting phyllosphere microbial community structure are controversial. Moreover, how climate warming affects the phyllosphere microbial community structure and its driving mechanism have not been fully resolved, and further relevant studies are needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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35 pages, 1286 KiB  
Review
Trichoderma Species: Our Best Fungal Allies in the Biocontrol of Plant Diseases—A Review
by Paulina Guzmán-Guzmán, Ajay Kumar, Sergio de los Santos-Villalobos, Fannie I. Parra-Cota, Ma. del Carmen Orozco-Mosqueda, Ayomide Emmanuel Fadiji, Sajjad Hyder, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola and Gustavo Santoyo
Plants 2023, 12(3), 432; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030432 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 10524
Abstract
Biocontrol agents (BCA) have been an important tool in agriculture to prevent crop losses due to plant pathogens infections and to increase plant food production globally, diminishing the necessity for chemical pesticides and fertilizers and offering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option. [...] Read more.
Biocontrol agents (BCA) have been an important tool in agriculture to prevent crop losses due to plant pathogens infections and to increase plant food production globally, diminishing the necessity for chemical pesticides and fertilizers and offering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option. Fungi from the genus Trichoderma are among the most used and studied microorganisms as BCA due to the variety of biocontrol traits, such as parasitism, antibiosis, secondary metabolites (SM) production, and plant defense system induction. Several Trichoderma species are well-known mycoparasites. However, some of those species can antagonize other organisms such as nematodes and plant pests, making this fungus a very versatile BCA. Trichoderma has been used in agriculture as part of innovative bioformulations, either just Trichoderma species or in combination with other plant-beneficial microbes, such as plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB). Here, we review the most recent literature regarding the biocontrol studies about six of the most used Trichoderma species, T. atroviride, T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. virens, T. longibrachiatum, and T. viride, highlighting their biocontrol traits and the use of these fungal genera in Trichoderma-based formulations to control or prevent plant diseases, and their importance as a substitute for chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microbial Formulations to Increase Crop Production, from Laboratory to Fields)
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